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Afraid? Of What?

In my novel Safely Home, while facing martyrdom, Li Quan quotes a poem called “Afraid.” A reader recently asked about the origin of that poem. On his blog, Tim Challies shares this explanation:

The poem, entitled “Afraid?” was written by Presbyterian missionary E.H. Hamilton following the recent martyrdom [in 1931] of one of his colleagues, J.W. Vinson, at the hands of rebel soldiers in northern China. A small Chinese girl who escaped from the bandits related the incident that provided the inspiration for Hamilton’s poem.

“Are you afraid?” the bandits asked Vinson as they menacingly waved a gun in front of him.

“No,” he replied with complete assurance. “If you shoot, I go straight to heaven.”

His decapitated body was found later.

E.H. Hamilton wrote:

Afraid? Of what? To feel the spirit’s glad release? To pass from pain to perfect peace, The strife and strain of life to cease? Afraid? Of that?

Afraid? Of what? Afraid to see the Saviour’s face, To hear His welcome, and to trace, The glory gleam from wounds of grace, Afraid? Of that?

Afraid? Of what? A flash - a crash - a pierced heart; Brief darkness - Light - O Heaven’s art! A wound of His a counterpart! Afraid? Of that?

Afraid? Of what? To enter into Heaven’s rest, And yet to serve the Master blessed? From service good to service best? Afraid? Of that?

Afraid? Of what? To do by death what life could not - Baptize with blood a stony plot, Till souls shall blossom from the spot? Afraid? Of that?